Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-30

Her manner, too seemed to express the |
most amiable intentions. She shrugged |
her shoulders coqnettishly aud mutioned |
politely with her hand. The latter ges
ture was at length made ont by the doc
Tor TO siguity that he should sit down. |
AS he did so the spectre emitted faint |
ly audible sigh, and simultaneously a !
stronger Whit Of the corp,e.li like olor was !
borne to the doctors nos rils. Her lips !
moved ~ II III speech, but voicele~siy at
first. At length the sounds she was evi |
IDENTIFY striving to utter became feeuly ar
uculate. "GOu hDrcid IN an !" she said
with shipper ana another coquettish
shrug.
The doctor made no reply; in fact he
could not think of anything to say.
~ frightened You badly; didn't ~
added the spook, becoming more glib as
she went on. ut was very nice of you to
be frightened. don't think ever sue
Ceeded In soaring anybody before, since |
first made my debut as an apparitlon.
May be you think it is fun to be ghost.
! l used to have the same notion myself,
and that is partly the reason chose to
become one. There were some relatives
OF mihe who treated me very badly, and |
wished TO prevent them from enjoying
peacefully the money which was left to
! them, against my swn Intentions, by my
will / had resolved to alter the docu-
ment in their disfavor long time before
my DEATH but put it off from day to day
!
stances, there was nothing left for me to
do but to haunt them. Personally should
nave preferred to rest quietly in my grave
but have ever been slave to duty.
Daring my lifetime II had sacrificed every
thing for these people. Thinking to ben
eft them ny my guidance in the conduct
OF their affairs, became, rather against
my inclination, member of their house.
| hold. My grand-niece might perhaps
nave listened to the advice | offered her
regarding the bringing up of her children
and the obligations of a housewife I'm.
fortunately, she was msed by brute of
a husband, who actu lily swore at me re-
peatadly, telling me to mind my own bus
mess, or something to that effect. Was
it not horri ole ?"
The doctor admitted that, in his opin-
ion, it certainly was.
And So" continued the spectre 81
made up my mind to haunt them. 1t was
my duty, felt, to punish their ingrati-
tude, and besides thought it would be
rather amusing. Unhappily, soon found
that these unnatural kinsfolk of mine
mad no more respect for me dead than
living. My attempts at frightening them
were received with derision, and their de-
ceased relative and benefactor was held
up In the family circle as subject of
scornful jest. And now, after three years
spent trultleSsly in the role of a post NOR.
TEN Nemesis, | find myself shipped off by
rail to distant city, know not where
with no possibility of getting back, unless
you Will pay the expressage. Surely you
Will commisserate the position of an I'M
protected ghost and send me whence |
came ?''
Madam" replied the doctor after a
pause, regret to say that it is impossible
for me to do what you ask. | received the
trunk IN which you arrived upon the con-
dltion that | should not, under any cir
cumstances, return its contents to Bath.
mi | TO
fulfil, however much | may regret the
inconvenience occasioned to yourself
Any other service which you may be
pleased to demand at my hands | shall be
only too delighted to bestow."
The spook sighed again. you too are
a slave TO duty, l OBSERVE" said she. 81
regret your decision, but fully sympathize
witt the honorable sentiment which in
spires 1t. Speaking of sentment"-and
wita this she simpered horrdly-"it is
such pity that we did not meet in the
past. My mirror used to tell me that
was very beautiful Did you ever think
what charming thing it would be to be
united with a spirit bride-no mortal
woman OF perishable clay, but an attrac-
tive ghost like me, Just move up little
closer, won't you ?"
81 am sorry to be compelled to inform
you, madam" said the doctor, drawing
oack his chair a foot or so, that | am a
married man. May | beg of you to conlue
this discussion simply to matters of bust
ness ?'
The spectre buried her face in her skele-
ton fingers. Then after a moment she
raised her head and spoke.
81 might have been prepared for this, "
she sald. Ten years ago | offered my
hand to person of your unapprecative
sex. 1t was my unselfish object to reform
him for he was addicted to smoking CT
garettes and playing pool for drinks. But
| ha "a n sad I
been antagonized by fate in everything
Certainly have been anything but sue
: cess AS a ghost. There is nothing left fOl
me to do now but to retire permanently t.
? the silent tomb. FAREWELL"
| The Doctor sat looking at the spot
where the apparition had been, but it wa:
z gone; and STANCE 10 say, the trunk hat
! vanished also. No; there it was, over il
the farthest corner, it had stood before
tied up with the same ropes and straps
Rising hastily, he took the key from tn,
. pocket to which he had previously return
ed 1t and, having cut the fastenngs, un
=, locked the trunk and raised the lid |
D was empty. Not sign of a spook-no
E anything else for that matter-was to b,
found inside. by Jove !" exclaimed thu
r doctor, fairly aghast with astonishment,-
III that don't beat the dutch"
e The moisture laden East wind was blow
. ing through the open library window
brlngnb with it an unpleasant fragrance
y from some distant bone factory The doc
tor smut 1t, put out the diminished flam
: of the lamp, and went off to bed
But why is it that his astonishing eX
perence is not to be embalmed in the ar
chlves OF the society for Psychical Re
. search?
e Simply because his fellow members o
the Haunted House Committee have as
r sumed a dersive attitude regarding tn
doctors story, which they are disposed L
e consider dream from bepjnninp IN end
4 There is one person, however, who is likel
4 to believe every word of it, and that is the
0 gentleman of Bath. who was the first in
e dividual to conceive the brilliano idea o
. giving away his family ghost as a Christ
I mas present.
l RENE PACHE.
e What He Discovered.
V From the Arkansaw Traveller.1
A hNndSO,NelY dressed Nnunn Woman ON